first time at an campsite electric pitch

[kuruma]

In a few weeks, we'll be at our first campsite with the M3 and we've booked an electric pitch. This is in the UK.

As we've never camped with an electric pitch before, I just want to ask advice here about charging the car. The site are fine with us doing so.

Do I need an adaptor to charge and if so what? Or can I just use the standard 13A plug on something like this

Eurohike Mobile Mains Kit with USB (15m) | GO Outdoors

Use and charge multiple devices from the comfort of your tent with this three-socket mains converter kit from Eurohike. Great for tents, awnings, caravans, motorhomes, boats… essentially anywhere you need power!

www.gooutdoors.co.uk

TIA

 

[pdk42]

I’d be wary of the capacity of the site to provide the necessary current. You should ask about max current their outlets can provide. I help run a site that has 35 caravan pitches, but they all share an 80A supply. We don’t allow EV charging because of overloading fears.

However, if they allow it, you’ll need either the adapter you mention (and you’ll be limited to 10A), or else the UMC tail that has a commando socket on the end instead of a 13A plug. That’ll give you 16A.

 

[kuruma]

we've checked they're OK with charging and they are. Don't want to draw too much power anyway so looks like our 13A will be fine. Thanks for the info.

 

[UkNorthampton]

we've checked they're OK with charging and they are. Don't want to draw too much power anyway so looks like our 13A will be fine. Thanks for the info.

If possible in car/charging settings, might be worth lowering max amperage unless needed

 

[Adopado]

we've checked they're OK with charging and they are. Don't want to draw too much power anyway so looks like our 13A will be fine. Thanks for the info.

Yes, best to stick with your 13A UMC adapter (which is designed to draw 10A in practice).

 

[Avendit]

Don't camping sites normally present as a commando socket? Ie you'll need -something- with a blue commando socket, whatever you end up plugging into the car via.

We were at a site Thursday/Friday, didn't have a powered pitch as neither we nor the car needed it, but I did look at their set up. It looked like each pitch was on a 6a breaker. Varies massively by site obviously!

 

[kuruma]

found this which although not Tesla is helpful

convinced me that I don't want to skimp on the length of my extension lead so ordered the device I linked to in my OP.

 

[yessuz]

yes, you just use the power adapter in your first post + standard 3 pin granny charger connected to one of your sockets in that extension lead.

then you can connect other stuff, like cool box, phones, light to remaining ones.

 

[kuruma]

indeed.... got our 10 litre mini fridge arriving today and an induction hotplate later this week.

 

[Avendit]

induction hotplate later this week.

Ha! Must beat always wondering when the gas is going to run out...

 

[Toblerone]

indeed.... got our 10 litre mini fridge arriving today and an induction hotplate later this week.

Do let us know how you get on!

 

[yessuz]

indeed.... got our 10 litre mini fridge arriving today and an induction hotplate later this week.

I have a gas stove... there's been plenty of times where camp sites do not have power supply for the pitch.

 

[kuruma]

even if you book an electric pitch?

 

[yessuz]

even if you book an electric pitch?

no... but some campsites simply does not have electric pitches

hence gas

 

[Cardo]

This is how I do it…

I’ve since had an external socket fitted to make it even easier.

 

[kuruma]

nice one... making the most of that tow bar!

I've got two kids under 6 to transport too so being able to cook on an induction hob not only keeps things compact but is a lot safer with kids around.

... needless to say, campsites with no electric pitches aren't going to feature highly on our itinerary this summer

Interesting at one place we're booked into, when I called to ask if they were OK with EV charging, they were a bit taken aback that we asked and thanked me for doing so. They said it hadn't been something they'd ever considered before and wondered how many other EV users had simply rocked up and spent hours charging. They're looking forward to our visit as an experiment they said!

Made me wonder what the future of camping (prices) will be as more and more people switch to EVs.

 

[Pants]

Made me wonder what the future of camping (prices) will be as more and more people switch to EVs.

I would think the electricity supply infrastructure would be the biggest issue. People like to go out and about when they’re on holiday (I do anyway) so a high proportion of people staying at camp sites will probably want to charge regularly. Several cars charging at once even just using the 3 pin UCM will need a robust electricity supply which I suspect not many sites have right now.

 

[ACarneiro]

Perhaps, although even a “entry level” three phase supply should cope with 20+ cars charging simultaneously on a granny charger.

Maybe it won’t be as much of a problem if the site operators stipulate, for instance, charging only after something like 22:00 or something like that?

 

[pdk42]

Perhaps, although even a “entry level” three phase supply should cope with 20+ cars charging simultaneously on a granny charger.

Maybe it won’t be as much of a problem if the site operators stipulate, for instance, charging only after something like 22:00 or something like that?

A basic 3-phase supply will give you at best about 40kW. Even if you restrict charging to 10A (2.5 kW), that’ll only get you to about 15 cars.

 

[Sean.]

Perhaps, although even a “entry level” three phase supply should cope with 20+ cars charging simultaneously on a granny charger.

Maybe it won’t be as much of a problem if the site operators stipulate, for instance, charging only after something like 22:00 or something like that?

What’s an “entry level” 3-phase supply ?

It depends on what you have inhereted (or requested from your DNO) but in the supply upgrades I’ve done with UKPN over the years we’ve installed typically either a 100A per phase 3-phase supply (nominally a 70 kVA supply) or the next step up is 200A per phase which has a gigantic supply cutout. Some DNOs allow an intermediate supply upgrade between these.